I notice that I tend to spend more money when I'm out shopping in stores or malls. I see more things I want to get as gifts, find things I need for around The House, or things someone in my family needs, etc. By shopping online, I can look up specific items, find the best deals (including lowest cost or free shipping), and stick to purchasing only specific items. I also don't spend gas money (I figure gas and shipping kind of cancel each other out), but I also don't buy extra snacks, drinks, and things like that, which I might do when out shopping somewhere. How about you?
I always look up prices online before shopping anywhere, whether I'm going to find something on a website or go to a store. I'll go where the best price is, and if the shipping costs still keep the price lower, of course I'll avoid driving and parking and crowds to get something delivered to my door. Truthfully, I hate Christmas shopping in stores anymore. It used to be fun. The sights and sounds and people. I loved the decorations and the lights and the excitement. But now it is a chore and I hate battling crowds and being among tons of people. I just hate it. So yeah, I think I do much better online.
You're right, I think in the long run it can be cheaper to shop online just by taking into account avoiding certain impulse buys, especially if a person is an impulse shopper, which I sometimes tend to be. I consider myself a foodie of sorts, and of course, what is the main thing that is in abundance when you go to the mall to shop? Food. Food everywhere. Stuff I've been wanting to try, or foods that I've never heard of and see for the first time at a mall outing and want to try. Food shopping can add up. And I love coffee too, so don't even get me started with that. $20.00 day for coffee, easy. I still like to go out Christmas shopping, but not so much for the shopping as much as for the feeling of being part of the whole Christmas experience with everybody. I like to shop, so I like to buy a few things here and there when I'm out, and have enough money to be able to stay out all day if I want to, but I'd prefer to have all my shopping done early so that I don't have to run out last minute to a super-crowded store to get something.
Shopping online certainly can save you money because you buy only what you need and in any case the prices are cheaper when you buy on the net. But then again, it's the shipping costs that will cut the deal for me. If it would cost slightly more then obviously I'd prefer doing my shopping in a store.
Well I mean if you shop online at Amazon there is Prime available. If you shop online at least 8+ times a year then it makes sense to have it. $99/year and free 2 day shipping on all items. Although if the product is sold by a third party then Prime is useless. Also if you want your items shipped overnight or the next day then you have to pay full. Prime does not give you a discount on next day shipping. But Amazon pretty much has all you need.
Knowing what things cost or are supposed to cost is definitely an important part of saving money. I've already seen items that are obviously marked up before being marked down for Cyber Monday "sales." When shops do things like that, I am not likely to do business with them any more. I saw a $40 item listed as "regularly $80 now 50% off!!" Yeah, don't try to scam me. I know what stuff costs. Now, that store is off my list for good. If you want to have a sale, give a real deal. I'll still save by hitting up the real bargains.
I agree. Whenever I shop at physical stores I always make room in the budget for my meals and drinks and honestly I'd much rather just spend that money on an item if I could and with online shopping I very well could do that. However sometimes the shipping fees make up for those expenses so it ends up being the same but on the other hand there are also some great discounts you'd probably never see in actual stores and also as you've mentioned saving on gas and time also helps a lot so I definitely do favor just buying online if I can.
I think supporting local merchants is important..so I will always do some of my shopping in physical stores. Plus it is so festive seeing everything decorated. I spend enough time at home. Some of the stores in the brick and mortar stores were phenonmenal this year in order to attract customers..so it was worth shopping.
I don't know - I think that it can be tempting to spend more money than originally intended with both shopping online, and shopping in-store. Personally though, I am the same with both. If I am shopping online I usually have one or a select few products that I am after, and I go for them. I am the same with shopping in real life, except that there is a possibility of me smelling nice food in the air and then spending money on that too.
I tend to spend significantly less online than in-store, but in physical stores I don't have much of a problem only buying essentials. The only real difference between online and in-store shopping for me is that it's much easier to find deals online. I always check prices online before buying anything in-store as well.
I have a rule that I always start out at the thrift stores and discount stores like Ross before I head out to the mall to get anything. This way I can take advantage of low prices before I spend my money at higher priced malls. It is kind of funny because sometimes I do not even end up making it to the mall because I am either too tired from doing all of the shopping I did a the thrift store, or I found what I needed and no longer need to go to the mall. It has saved me a ton of time and money in the long run.
Yes, I love Ross as well, I found a dress there that had pockets (POCKETS!) for $15. It was my go-to dress for many occasions. I loved that dress so much and I ended up donating it in May. It was this cute polka dot thing, and the pockets were huge, I could even fit my kindle in there. You just reminded me I need another dress with pockets.
Oh how I would love to find a fun and cute polka dot dress. I know that some people are probably giving me the stink face right now, but I look good in polka dots and I love wearing them. I have blond hair so I like to wear black and white dotted clothes and then red nail polish. Ross is one of the funnest cheap places to go shopping because they always have a great selection at the stores and the prices are cheap. I find that I spend only about $1 more on average per item as opposed to going to the thrift store to get the item, and the merchandise is brand new.
I don't usually shop at Ross, but I have gotten some deals there in the past. I will shop at a store called Gabriels or Rugged Wearhouse though,,,that sells things at a discount that didn't sell at Ross. I will be in the area where the Ross is in a few days so I might pop my head in there..and see what is new for the holidays. All of these stores have cute items.
I think that it is a good idea to set a budget for each person that you are planning on buying something for. Each year, I usually want to get each person in my family a minimum of one gift. I'd love to be able to buy more, but I don't have the means for that. But for that one gift per person, I set budgets.
Yes, I always do this when I am shopping, and I make sure that I get the best possible deal by always buying everything that I need from the internet. I think this is by far the best thing that I can do, because then it means that the deals I am getting are the best for me, and they're exactly what I need. So it is certainly worth the time taken to see if you can save any money, because more often than not, you will be able to.
The best time to go shopping would be during those times when the malls would hold sales so that you can save money. Shopping in Ebay from Chinese sellers is also a good alternative, because most of them offer free shipping, aside from the items being cheap to begin with.
